Monday 4th November 2013

Weather; Sunny spells and showers; wind N.W. force 5, cloud cover 4/8

An adult pale phase Pomarine Skua, complete with full spoons, flew west just offshore from Leasowe lighthouse at 9.30a.m. today. Also offshore here over the tide were 20 Scoter, a Red-throated Diver and about 10 Great-crested Grebes.
3 Eiders, a male and 2 females, flew north at Meols. 5 Gannets and 10 Scoter were also offshore.
A Merlin flew east near the Leasowe Castle Hotel, harassed by a Magpie, while a Ruff flew west offshore here. A Stonechat was also nearby.  
At Lingham bridge a Kingfisher and 2 Grey Wagtails were seen. 3 Goldcrests and a Common Snipe were near the lighthouse.

Stonechat  (EW)

 
 (DH,AMC,EW,KD)  

3rd November 2013

Weather: West North West force 6-7 gusting force 10 overnight. Squally showers.

The low pressure system dominating the Irish Sea just now, produced some severe gales overnight resulting in some wind blown seabird movement. Auk numbers had increased with Auk spp (20), Guillemot (11) and Razorbill (2).. Also logged were Great crested Grebe (6), Red breasted Merganser, Red throated Diver (4) Great Northern Diver (1), Manx Shearwater(2), Gannet (22), Kittiwake(17), Skua spp (2) including a prob Pom which was fairly close but was always flying away at an oblique angle and a single Leach's Petrel spent at least 30 minutes pattering along the beach attracting the unwanted attention of some Herring Gulls.

The Holylake Gull roost, again held the 4th year Yellw legged Gull amongst hundreds of Herring, Common and Lesser and Great Black Backs.

Waders were well represented with Curlew (120), Grey Plover (180), Dunlin (2000), Sanderling (110), Bar tailed Godwit (19) Knot (19) Redshank (40). A single Turnstone on the beach was unusual away from the North Shore sea defence.

Two Golden Plover remain on the shore west of the Lifeboat station.

Thursday 31st October 2013

Weather; Cloudy with sunny spells.  cloud cover 6/8. Wind W force 3; Visibility good.

Hardly any visible overhead passage this afternoon with 3 Fieldfares and 4 Chaffinch moving high to the west. A Peregrine flew east.
Over 40 Pied Wagtails were in the lighthouse area, however, mainly on the paddocks and the sea wall. 2 Goldcrests and a chiffchaff were at the duck pond and a further 3 Goldcrests, a Grey Wagtail, 2 Redwings, a Chiffchaff and a Blackcap were at Lingham bridge. These regular late autumn blackcaps could well be winterers arriving from Eastern Europe rather than departing summer birds.
2 further Chiffchaffs were in sycamores bordering Kerr's field.
(EW)

Friday 25th October 2013.

The hope was that the overnight heavy rain would result in a 'fall' of migrants but that did not seem to be the case.  Small numbers of Meadow pipit hung around the embankment near the groyne but these seem to be the 'regulars' rather than new birds !    The ever present Greenshank did not disappoint, feeding in the gutter along the sea wall and up to 25 Grey Plover fed on the sand.  Everything going up signalled the presence of a peregrine and a large female made an unsuccessful attack on a mixed flock of waders.  The horse paddocks were alive to the large mixed flock of Linnet & Goldfinch.  No reason why Twite can't be found - birds are currently present on the Welsh side of the Dee in fair numbers - although Leasowe traditionally only usually has one or two.  More than the usual number of Blackbirds present in the hedges - perhaps an influx from the continent or the east coast ?     JB   

Thursday 24th October 2013

Weather; Mainly sunny, cloud cover 2/8. Wind light SE force 2

More in the way of visible passage today with over 30 Skylarks and 50 Meadow Pipits moving mainly west, some alighting on the paddocks to feed. Also overhead west were 20 Chaffinches, 15 Greenfinches, 6 Reed Buntings, 2 Siskins and a Brambling.
Grounded birds in the area of the lighthouse included 2 Snipe, 10 Goldcrests, 3 Chiffchaffs and a Coal Tit.
A Little Owl is around the farm buildings on Lingham Lane but for the most part stays in private areas.


Migrant Skylarks in the paddocks, Leasowe.

The ultra tame Snow Bunting is still west of the Harvester P.H. on the sea wall.                    (Observers EW,MGT,JJ)

Snow Bunting; EW.

  

Tuesday 22nd October 2013

Early morning rain clearing by midday. Warm; 19c. SSW 2, C/C 8-4/8

A very quiet day at the lighthouse with little in the way of passage migration other than a flock of 4 Jays which flew west.

The paddocks Linnet flock has increased to over 120 and now contains 20 Goldfinch and 6 Greenfinch. 15 Pied Wagtails frequented the same field. 

4 Goldcrest flitted around the pond area.

A late Wheatear was on the sea wall near New Brighton coastguard lookout yesterday.

KD

Saturday 19th October 2013

Cloudy and warm becoming clearer. C/C 8-3/8, SW2, 18c

An early morning steady Meadow Pipit passage was augmented later in the day by 13 Skylark, 20 Carrion Crow, (heading high SE in a loose flock in off the sea) one Jay, a Grey Wagtail and around 15 Chaffinch.

By far the best bird of the day, however, was a ridiculously tame, 1st w male Snow Bunting which lingers still on the sea wall around 400 metres west of the Derby Pool PH car park in Wallasey where it has been for the past few days. A Wheatear, the 1st summer visitor around here for some time, flashed west along the embankment.

The Goldcrests of the past few days seem to have moved on, with only one or two being noted.

The corvid passage here always provokes discussion but we are no nearer to solving the origin of the birds which pass through or, for that matter, their eventual destination. Photo's Lynne Greenstreet

JB, MG and KD